Dunwoody is expanding its pandemic relief effort for nonprofits to provide more than $600,000 worth of financial aid.
The City Council unanimously approved an extra allocation of $100,000 during its Monday meeting. Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said the nonprofit relief program has already awarded $535,000 to nonprofits in the city using federal COVID-19 relief funds.
“I know the nonprofits will be grateful,” Mayor Lynn Deutsch said during the meeting.
The city originally set aside $400,000 worth of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds to help its nonprofits assist the community amid the pandemic. The city received roughly $5.6 million in CARES funds. Eight nonprofits each received a $50,000 grant, which they could use to reimburse expenses incurred helping people in Dunwoody who lost jobs, income or were affected in other ways by the pandemic.
Vinicki said the council added extra funds for the nonprofit program in small amounts until it reached $535,000. Monday’s allocation pulled from the city’s CARES contingency budget of roughly $940,000, which is effectively the pandemic relief funds the city has yet to assign to a specific program. The city has various other programs using CARES funds, including small business grants, outdoor dining improvements for restaurants, tourism efforts and hazard pay for police.
The city has yet to tap into the millions it received from the American Rescue Act Plan, the $1.9-trillion stimulus package signed by President Joe Biden. Dunwoody will receive a total of $18.4 million — half this year and half next year.
The city will award $10,000 grants to the same eight nonprofit recipients until the extra $100,000 runs out. Vinicki said he’ll request additional funding if needed.
The nonprofits are Community Assistance Center, Corners Outreach, Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb, I Care Atlanta, Jewish Family & Career Services, Malachi’s Storehouse, The Summit Counseling Center and Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
